2008 By the numbers

[g-mann17]

Now everyone knows I'm all for JD but...5-7 A whole win more than last year.Vs. Non-Conference 2-2Vs. MAC West 2-1Vs. MAC East 1-4To me, that is unacceptable. It's all well and good that we have wins against BCS schools, but if you can't at least turn out a 3-2 record in the East there is a major problem. I'm not calling for coaching change, but there has to be something wrong with the philosophy here. The only positive I can even come close to taking out of this is that the entire Division has more experience on the field than we do. 3 of those loses were very close games. I am a believer that experience is what wins close games. However, how many of those games should really have been close?

[skip-zip]

g-mann.....I think I can answer part of your question. I don't think anyone will dispute that 3 of those losses were to teams that were just better than us this year, meaning Buffalo, BG, and Temple. All 3 finished ahead of us in the standings, two of them beat us on our home field, and one of them beat us on the road convincingly. But there is good news also....as you state, some of these games were very close....and all of these teams mentioned above face some key losses to graduation this year.

[Captain Kangaroo]

All 3 finished ahead of us in the standings, two of them beat us on our home field, and one of them beat us on the road convincingly.

In all four MAC East losses (OU, Temple, Buffalo and BG), we were either tied, or leading in the 4th quarter.When you have a jittery QB and a porous defense you tend to lose close ones. JD needs to address that in the off-season. If we had Nate Davis at QB, the Zips would have been 5-0 in the MAC East. We wouldn't have lost any of those in the 4th quarter. Would that have made JD a better coach?

[Kangaroo Craig]

I think Jacquemain will continue to mature and will improve his game even more by next season. What worries me the most about this team is that they go through lapses on defense where they just can't stop anybody or anything. In order to improve they will need to be able to stop the run and put pressure on the quarterback consistently. You can't win by allowing your opponents to consistently answer your score with a score of their own. Those are momentum changers that just can't be allowed to happen at the rate that they currently are. I don't know if it is a lack of talent, depth, or both, but something needs to be done about it.

[skip-zip]

Captain....herein lies the debate among so many of us on this site. Do we consider the close games a positive sign that we are closer to being in position to win a MAC East title again?or....Do we say "a loss is still a loss".Count me as one who supports the top statement.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I think Jacquemain will continue to mature and will improve his game even more by next season.

While no one can deny the strides he made in 2008 vs. 2007, he's going to be a 5th year senior next year. I don't know how much improvement he's got left in him. I wish he threw like this in his Sophomore season. Then I'd be more apt to believe.It is a big leap of faith for me to believe he can be a clutch performer in 2009. His mechanics are solid, but when the game is on the line, he turns the ball over...and over...and over.

[InTheZone]

If we had Nate Davis at QB, the Zips would have been 5-0 in the MAC East. We wouldn't have lost any of those in the 4th quarter. Would that have made JD a better coach?

Umm... yes because it would mean that he recruited a capable player that was actually eligible.Some of these defenses of JD are getting ridiculous.

[johnnyzip84]

I think Jacquemain will continue to mature and will improve his game even more by next season.

While no one can deny the strides he made in 2008 vs. 2007, he's going to be a 5th year senior next year. I don't know how much improvement he's got left in him. I wish he threw like this in his Sophomore season. Then I'd be more apt to believe.It is a big leap of faith for me to believe he can be a clutch performer in 2009. His mechanics are solid, but when the game is on the line, he turns the ball over...and over...and over.

Really, the only area I see left to expect any realistic improvement out of Jacq is perhaps a few less critical turnovers. The weakness that I simply can't seem to get past is the lack of mobility. For this reason alone, I hope Rodgers and perhaps even Jordan Miller get a fair shake in the spring, regardless of who is running the show. I believe a slightly more mobile "Jacq" would have gotten us 2 more wins this year.

[Captain Kangaroo]

If we had Nate Davis at QB, the Zips would have been 5-0 in the MAC East. We wouldn't have lost any of those in the 4th quarter. Would that have made JD a better coach?

Umm... yes because it would mean that he recruited a capable player that was actually eligible.Some of these defenses of JD are getting ridiculous.

I feel the same way about the "pro-Owens" guys that make up mythical graduation rates on Owens' behalf. Like anyone with 30 free seconds can't look up how Lee's classes really ended up.Note: 2001 was one of Lee's later classes (7th). Not his 2nd or 3rd.Thankfully for Lee, the NCAA scholarship penalties for not being on track for graduation weren't instituted until he left.

[Big Zip]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

[Buckzip]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Has UA ever gone a season beating all the teams they should beat?

[Zippysgotagun]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Has UA ever gone a season beating all the teams they should beat?

No...in any sport.

[Buckzip]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Has UA ever gone a season beating all the teams they should beat?

No...in any sport.

Point taken, but in football you only play 11-12 games. Akron football seems to always find a way to lose rather than find a way to win.

[Captain Kangaroo]

I think the basketball team has done a nice job of beating the teams they should beat over the past 4 years. They've just struggled to get over the hump and beat the teams they shouldn't (ranked opponents like Pitt, Creighton, Nevada, Dayton, etc). And, to win a championship. Beating Eastern Michigan or Urbana? No problem.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Jacquemain couldn't hold Butchie or Charlie's jock strap. He's better than Gromek, Gill, Fahler or any of the other Owens QB's, if that's worth anything? I don't think it is.JD has made his share of recruiting mistakes at the QB position. Luke won us a championship, but having him for only 2 seasons was a risk. We could have gone for a "stud" HS QB and had him for 3+ season to build upon. With Luke in the fold, we couldn't recruit a decent QB for two seasons. No HS kid wanted to sit for multiple seasons with no chance to start.JD miscalculated on Carlton Jackson.JD has a serviceable QB in Jacquemain, but he's been a 4+ year project to achieve "serviceable" status. On his best days "he manages the game." On his worst days, he loses the game. You don't win in the MAC with that type of QB. You win 5 or 6 games.

[GP1]

Jacquemain couldn't hold Butchie or Charlie's jock strap.

And that's not saying much. Both of those guys are CFL qbs. Not to defend Jacq, but to move this conversation in another direction, what is the difference between Jacq and most of the third string QBs in the NFL? As bad a Jacq is at times, he is one stupid team away from holding a clipboard on Sundays. Most of the third string QB can only complete five yard outs to tight ends. Please don't take this as a knock on Frye, but that's all he did for two years in Cleveland.Isn't the rea question about Jacq, Is he a misunderstood, misused, poorly coached genius of a QB or is he Ebby LaLoosh in a football uniform?

[Buckzip]

Jacquemain couldn't hold Butchie or Charlie's jock strap.

And that's not saying much. Both of those guys are CFL qbs. Not to defend Jacq, but to move this conversation in another direction, what is the difference between Jacq and most of the third string QBs in the NFL? As bad a Jacq is at times, he is one stupid team away from holding a clipboard on Sundays. Most of the third string QB can only complete five yard outs to tight ends. Please don't take this as a knock on Frye, but that's all he did for two years in Cleveland.Isn't the rea question about Jacq, Is he a misunderstood, misused, poorly coached genius of a QB or is he Ebby LaLoosh in a football uniform?

I think you are putting down 3rd string NFL guys a little bit here. Most 3rd stringers were pretty good college QB's.Look at Ken Dorsey. He won a NC and played in another at Miami. He wasn't a star, but he was a very important piece of that team.I would think that all 3rd stringers were at least all conference in their individual conferences.I think Frye is nothing special at the NFL level either, but he was/is light years better than Jacq.

[zipsfan38]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Has UA ever gone a season beating all the teams they should beat?

No...in any sport.

Point taken, but in football you only play 11-12 games. Akron football seems to always find a way to lose rather than find a way to win.

The only time you beat all of the teams you should beat in a given year is when you go undefeated. How many college or professional teams go undeafeated in a given year? Answer: Very few.We were lucky to see Alabama, Ball State and Boise State do it this year in college football where the game is played by 18-23 year old kids.

[Dr Z]

Jacquemain couldn't hold Butchie or Charlie's jock strap.

And that's not saying much. Both of those guys are CFL qbs.

Jacquemain was a junior this year starting his first full season. Butchie & Charlie both started four years, so I'm not sure if it's a fair comparison.Jacquemain is 26th in the nation in passing yardage with 2748, 31st in the nation in touchdown passes with 20, 19th in the nation in attempts at 399.Jacquemain's 20 td's rank third on the UA’s single-season list. Luke Getsy threw a record 23 TDs in '05. Frye is second on the list with 22.Jacquemain's interceptions are too high at 14 (receivers might have played a part in a few of those.)Hopefully this is something that he focuses on in the off season. He has to become more efficient.You can go back and forth all day about which came first the chicken or the egg (offense vs defense), but I'm sure that Jacquemain will benefit from a (hopefully) better defense next year. If JD can fix his D, Jacquemain will get to play with a lead. If he is the starter next year, I wish him well.

[Zip N' Dots]

Jacquemain couldn't hold Butchie or Charlie's jock strap.

And that's not saying much. Both of those guys are CFL qbs.

Jacquemain was a junior this year starting his first full season. Butchie & Charlie both started four years, so I'm not sure if it's a fair comparison.Jacquemain is 26th in the nation in passing yardage with 2748, 31st in the nation in touchdown passes with 20, 19th in the nation in attempts at 399.Jacquemain's 20 td's rank third on the UA’s single-season list. Luke Getsy threw a record 23 TDs in '05. Frye is second on the list with 22.Jacquemain's interceptions are too high at 14 (receivers might have played a part in a few of those.)Hopefully this is something that he focuses on in the off season. He has to become more efficient.You can go back and forth all day about which came first the chicken or the egg (offense vs defense), but I'm sure that Jacquemain will benefit from a (hopefully) better defense next year. If JD can fix his D, Jacquemain will get to play with a lead. If he is the starter next year, I wish him well.

WOW, either you are a genius or you understand the obvious. Give the offense a good, not great defense and we were 9-3.

[Zippysgotagun]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Has UA ever gone a season beating all the teams they should beat?

No...in any sport.

Point taken, but in football you only play 11-12 games. Akron football seems to always find a way to lose rather than find a way to win.

The only time you beat all of the teams you should beat in a given year is when you go undefeated. How many college or professional teams go undeafeated in a given year? Answer: Very few.We were lucky to see Alabama, Ball State and Boise State do it this year in college football where the game is played by 18-23 year old kids.

What? An undefeated season is the only time you win all the games you should? I would think that (almost) every schedule has teams on it that are either clearly better than you are or are at least evenly matched. If Alabama were on UA's schedule this year and we went 12-1, you would say we lost a game that we should have won?Recent examples (from the top of my head) that Akron Athletics "should have won."Soccer vs. Northwestern (the most painful to me). Yes, we got screwed and had to play there, but we were clearly the better team all year. One of my beefs with soccer is it sometimes only takes one moment of good fortune for a team to win a game that they have no business winning. I'll add last year's USF game too. I got physically ill after that game.Pick any of our football games this year that we had double digit leads late in the game or left easy points on the field and lost a close one (Especially BCS-bound Cincy).Basketball at K-Ent last year. 10 point lead at halftime...their crowd (and the team IMO) knew they were toast, and we gave it right back to them. (Sidenote: no matter what the outcome of the games we play against the felons, our fans get the better of theirs without fail. The sign we gave their student section is a perfect example.)These are the types of games that just kill me as a Zips fan. Knowing that the game should easily be yours, then it slips away.

[Buckzip]

Cap'n -- by your definition a jittery QB and a porous defense it sounds like Lee Owens one upped JD this year. He had a porous defense, but most always a decent QB. We lost the close ones there too.

Has UA ever gone a season beating all the teams they should beat?

No...in any sport.

Point taken, but in football you only play 11-12 games. Akron football seems to always find a way to lose rather than find a way to win.

The only time you beat all of the teams you should beat in a given year is when you go undefeated. How many college or professional teams go undeafeated in a given year? Answer: Very few.We were lucky to see Alabama, Ball State and Boise State do it this year in college football where the game is played by 18-23 year old kids.

What a bizarre statement. I don't feel Akron should have beaten every team they played. They were certainly inferior to Wisci and BSU. Others they were a flip a coin with. Others they should have won and didn't.

[skip-zip]

GP1....I'm sorry, but Jac will not even remotely reach the level of success of Frye. Charlie holds tons of Akron passing records, was a 3rd round pick, became a starter his first year, and holds the 5th highest completion percentage of any rookie QB ever, playing on one of the worst offensive units I have ever seen. Jac will come nowhere close to accomplishing any of those feats. In fact, if I ranked the last 4 Akron starting QBs, I'd rank him last behind Frye, Getsy, and Washington...and it's not even close. If he even gets a chance to make a CFL roster, I'll be surprised.This is not to say that I have not seen improvement in him....and that he cannot have a good senior year. He just doesn't have anywhere near the talent of those 3 other guys.